Content Call

I haven’t blogged in months on this site. While the purpose of the blog is to keep you informed and highlight some articles and sites of interest, I don’t want to blog too often because I think people who subscribe can get email overloads. That is my biggest reason for deleting an account. So I promise to blog sparingly and keep context interesting.

We have transitioned this year from a good news site to a more faith based news site, in doing so we have added some categories. One of the goals for the site has been to get readers to contribute articles, press releases, photos and websites of interest. Our new categories Ministry Focus, Publishing News and Events allow for greater reader participation. We currently have one very loyal reader contributor W. Martin, we would like more. We also have an organization that I am very proud to say contributes regularly and that is Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, http://www.billygraham.org/. We would like to see more.

If you want to contribute content or articles, please use the user interface at the top of the website, Click to Submit. What we need for content is an intro to the article, written by you or quoted from the first few paragraphs of the text. We need a link to the article. If you write the article yourself additional links are requested. For example; you write an article about a mission trip your church has taken or a concert you attended, please leave the link to your church or the band’s website.

To submit photos I suggest you join our Flickr photo group, Good News Now Photos. You will need to join Flickr first, it is free, then join our group at

http://www.flickr.com/groups/goodnewnowphotos/.

Over the last few months I have found several groups on Flickr that are faith based and have discover some very wonderful photographers. We would love for you to join us on Flickr.

Some of our recent Shots of the Day.

Fred & Moishl 9 by Flickr Member iriskovalio

Caving in Around You by Flickr Member Steve Webel

Autumn at the Beach by Flickr Member Sister72

Abstract (light & shadow) by Flickr Member tanakawho

Don’t forget to fall back tonight.

Now for Something Lite

In the Spirit of the 4th of July and all things American, we at Good News Now want to celebrate with this video from the Chicago Tribune. What more can you ask for than Peeps and Space Exploration. This article and clip is well worth your time, so enjoy and enjoy your holiday.

Adler launches a Peep with the right fluff

And in the same vein our humor photo by Flickr Member Shannon Taylor.

The Pew Report

Survey Shows U.S. Religious Tolerance

Sweet Land of Tolerance

LifeWay study adds doubt about Pew poll's claims regarding evangelicals' 'universalism'

There is a debate brewing tied to the polls and speculation that Democrats can win over Republican voters in the 2008 elections. Behind the debate in a research study by the Pew Forum that looks into the beliefs of the so called Evangelical person; their views on faith and politics or the relationship between their political thought and their faith. Pew conducted a very large poll, 35,000 people from May 8 to Aug. 13, 2007.

The study was published in the New York Times as a political side line. It was commented on by Chuck Colson on the Break Point website. Mr. Colson has a different concern about the implications of the survey than The Times. He sees the report as a source of concern that the supreme value of our culture, tolerance, is wearing away the ability of people of faith to hold true to their doctrinal beliefs. People of all faiths seem to be sliding into an undefined, noncommittal approach to faith because of politics. Instead of the definition of tolerance being allowing others to freely express their faith be it different from mine, tolerance has become having no real belief system at all, both in matters of religion and morals.

The Baptist Press sees a problem with the study and has their own more defined questions for the more defined evangelical, but with far less of a range of respondents. Where it may seem they want to argue the validity of the Pew report, there is instead a real concern with the question, who is sitting in the pew? There should be a real concern whether doctrine in being taught or not. There should be a real concern that if it is being taught to what effect. Why is it important for those who sit in the pews each Sunday to know what they believe? The answer is more important than the implications to the election. It has implications to the elect that are eternal.

Who is Responding to the World Food Crisis?

Photo by Baptist Press

I want to comment today on world hunger from the Good News Now point of view. Our view is to see who is at work within the crisis. Good News Now believes that in every disaster there is the miraculous, the good and often open doors for the gospel.
The challenge of hunger comes from many sources that need to be addressed. Experts blame the growing dependence on bio fuels, high oil prices, natural disaster, difficult weather conditions both draught and flooding, war, and corrupt governments for the crisis that is arising amongst the world’s most vulnerable populations.
How do we respond as a believing people? As the church? As a nation? As the international community? This problem will take more than money. It will take communities and organizations in agreement working together. What we cannot afford is to ignore the growing food shortage. Food prices so high that food becomes unavailable to the world’s poor is unacceptable.
Within this crisis there is a change or challenge for the church. The church is stepping up its humanitarian aid and becoming a greater witness.

Baptists respond to growing hunger crisis around world

In crisis the gospel is being preached while relief work increases.

Myanmar Relief Continues Amid Difficulties, Hundreds Open to Christ

Groups, secular and faith based, are responding. Many find the situation unacceptable and want to do something more. They have the experience and know how to lead in this crisis. In that we can rejoice.

Oxfam Report: Impact of rising food prices


World Vision International President Dean Hirsch finds hope in Myanmar


For those of you who ask what is the U.S. government doing?


USAID Announces Additional Emergency Food Assistance for Haiti

How is the international community reacting?


EU demands Zimbabwe lift aid ban immediately


For those of you whose heart is touched by this issue help us report the response of individuals, churches, organizations and nations that continue to address the problem by letting us know, by submitting the article to our site. We encourage you to get involved in some personal way particularly through your local church. Ask what your church is doing to help solve world hunger, then ask what you can do.


Heifer International and the food crisis

Unique Art

Good News Now likes to find the unique stories in the news and post them. We like people who make the world a little more interesting and richer. And we like to have fun. I was sent a link this week from one of our most loyal readers about Harrison Hot Springs Sand Sculpture Society and the amazing competitions that they host several times a year in the art or sport of sand sculpture. You choose. From now until Mother’s Day championship sand sculpting teams will be competing at the resort outside Vancouver BC.

The 3rd Annual Tournament of Sand Sculpture Champions, Competition May 07-11, 2008

Photo by http://www.harrisand.org/

Sand sculpting seems to be a west coast sport. Most of the competitions take place on the ocean. The Harrison Hot Springs competitions are unique in that they take place on a lake. This allows for the sculptors to take their time and build over a period of days because the art will not be overcome by the tides. This factor and the silt content of the sand contribute to the awe factor of the maasive works of art.

Some photos from years past.

Photo by http://www.harrisand.org/

Photo by http://www.harrisand.org/

Photo by http://www.harrisand.org/

Good News Now has many friends on Flickr who allow us to post their photography each day. I have visited Flickr everyday over the last two years and have discovered a lot of extremely interesting people on Flickr, not just photographers but artists too. I ran across an artist a few weeks ago and I asked her if I could share her art on this blog. Her screen name is iriskovalio. She is a superb watercolorist. Read about her on her Flickr profile page.

iriskovalio

Shot of the Day for May 8, 2008

Iriskovalio is an artist from Herzelia Israel.

Today is the 60th anniversary of the formation of Israel so I thought it would be a nice way to celebrate Israel by celebrating iriskovalio’s art.

Israel Anniversary Prompts Celebration, Prayers

Here a few of Iriskovalio's other works.

Enjoy her photo stream on Flickr.

International Women’s Day

Shot of the Day

Photo by: Oren Ziv/ Activestills.org.
Israeli-Palestinian women demanding more jobs, International Women’s Day, Tel Aviv, Isreal, 8/3/2008

Today is International Women’s Day, an event I understand is about a hundred years old. It is celebrated throughout the world but very much ignored in the US where we have a high standard of equality between the sexes. I am not saying we have achieved the standard, but a standard we have and laws to back it up. Unfortunately this is not true for a very large portion of women around the world. That is why I think the document produced by the UN refugee agency UNHCR on Thursday for the protection of woman is important. There needs to be a standard for the treatment of women in armed conflict and refugee situations. There is not and in the global hot spots of the world it is the women and children who are most venerable and yet unprotected.


Before I began the job as webmaster for Good News Now I too would have ignored International Women’s Day and perhaps even like pro-family activist Phyllis Schlafly, spoken out against it, decrying it as a feminist agenda. Although there are supporters of the event I do not support, I do support putting pressure nations to enact and enforced laws that make rape and sexual enslavement a crime punishable by imprisonment. Call me radical. Call me a feminist. Read the international news and I think you will begin to agree with me that there is a need to celebrate women and make it a cause to see that in the poorest of nations they are not the poorest of poor, voiceless without hope or a means to care for their families. If you can look at the situations like Kenya, DR Congo where the UNHRC is on the frontlines caring for those displaced by violence and say we not need to do anything for women to improve their situation then I am afraid you are blind and without heart. If you can say that in the US under the best of circumstances a single women head of household makes as much to support her family as a man than you are ignorant or lying to yourself. Does gender inequality matter? Yes, it does to half the population of the world.

I was very pleased to see that First Lady Laura Bush and USAID believe we need to do more to help women.

I challenge you to read the World Relief and Humanitarian Aid section of Good News Now daily and see if you don’t begin to agree with me. In a world where so much is wrong and life is so difficult to navigate there are people who care, organization that man the frontlines and government s who strive to uplift and protect all of the people. That is a cause worthy of celebration.

Articles on International Women's Day posted on Good News Now.



International Women's Day: UNHCR launches handbook for protection of women



International Women's Day protests highlight violence, inequality



Young, old: over 1,000 Afghan women mark International Women's Day in Kandahar



First Lady Honors Women at International Women's Day Event



International Women's Day: Code for 'Advancing Radical Feminism Around the Globe'

Technical Difficulty and Resolutions

For the last six weeks or more Good News Now has experienced some “white out” times. What is happening is the site is not loading. We have tried to be diligent and contact the web provider as we notice this is happening. When it first started happening I allowed some time to pass because it seemed clear up on it’s own. However, as time went on this was no longer true. We are in contact with our provider and they are now quick to respond. The site is scheduled to be move to another server in the near future with promises of better performance.

Thank you for your patience.

So how are your New Year’s resolutions going? I haven’t made any so mine are fine. However, I did give up chocolate for Lent. Does white chocolate count? Well, then I am not doing too well. We have posted over the last few weeks numerous articles to help you keep your fitness resolutions. Here are a few.

10 Ways to Outwit Your Appetite

Simple Swaps to Cut Calories

Finding your rhythm helps you stay in shape

And my suggestion, nix the white chocolate.

And my favorite article deals quite effectively with relationship improvement.

I was Up To a Pack & a Half of Unforgiveness a Day........

Photos we have loved so far this year.

Lunar Eclipse

By Flickr Member audreyjm529

It Is 4º This Morning

By Flickr Member audreyjm529

Black boots in the circle


By Flickr Member tanakawho


As always “Tell us your good news.” We do post it.

Good News

The owner of Good News Now decided this month to change the focus of the website. James decided he would like to spotlight more faith news meaning in our case a faith that declares trust in Christ for our salvation. In the past we have been a news organization that looks for the positive side of the news. That has not changed, but all of us who work on gathering the stories agree that we will make an effort each day to find THE GOOD NEWS stories. We have said we are not a “Christian” site, but a site owned and run by believers. As of this month that has changed. It has always been our desire to have churches connect with our site and use us to get their good news out. We know people of faith are motivated to do things to make a positive change in this world. We want to connect with that, we want to report that.
So tell us your good news. Let your light shine in a dark world.
Just a few stories:

Hardline Iranian Gov't Unable to Quash Church Growth

School to Offer Class on Bible's Literary, Historical Ties

Christian Film Offers Healing to Victims of Divorce

Also, this month I decided to have a theme for Shot of the Day. I have looked for and chosen photographs that are famous or recognizable places captured in an unusual way.
Some of the best.

My Fav

paris, notre dame by Flick Member extranoise

The Most Popular One

Denver Lightning by Flickr Member refractor

Showing my prejudice
Dallas Texas... YES! By Flick Member Mamahoot~




Himeji Castle
By Gather Member Gale M.